Too many women sooner or later faced with a situation where you can not use a regular method of contraception to prevent pregnancy or the remedies were ineffective. What to do in such cases? To avoid unwanted pregnancy, there is a kind of contraception as emergency contraception. This kind of protection will help prevent unwanted pregnancy only, but it can not protect against sexually transmitted diseases sexually transmitted diseases.

Emergency or post-coital contraception is primarily intended for the prevention of pregnancy as a result of unprotected intercourse, and includes various methods and formulations. The essence of this boils down to contraception to prevent the fertilized egg to attach to the uterine wall and start to develop. When using this contraceptive in the female body is a kind of little miscarriage. The effectiveness of this method depends on the adoption of the following means of "dangerous" sexual intercourse: the sooner it is taken, the higher the efficiency.
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Cases in which required emergency contraception

The main reason for receiving these drugs is unprotected sexual intercourse. Despite the enormous prevalence of various contraceptive methods, some couples forget about it. At the crucial moment you do not have a condom, or it just breaks in the process. Whether it is necessary in this case panic?

First, you need to try to calculate what today is the day of the menstrual cycle. Because emergency contraception is not very secure, and taking the pill can lead to very unpleasant consequences. That is, if you have had unprotected sex in the first or the last 7-8 days of the cycle (if it is regular and the duration is 28-30 days), you probably should not take pills because ovulation (the period, when pregnancy is more likely) falls in the middle of the cycle.

Another issue that is of interest to many women: whether emergency contraception is used during routine? For example, in the first 14 days of the first cycle of use of oral contraceptives whether to use other methods of contraception, because the basic method has not yet started to operate, or if oral contraceptives occurred in parallel with antibiotics or other drugs, which have the main feature to reduce the effect of the drug. In these cases, take extra drugs should not be. Additionally, it may be used only non-hormonal contraception.

It is otherwise affect spermicides (if, for example, a candle inserted in the vagina after or just before intercourse, without delay time required to activate it), or condoms.

Do I need emergency contraception if a woman breastfeeds? Of course, such situations are best avoided, but in cases of emergency, you can use emergency contraception. To do this, be postponed for one day breastfeeding until complete elimination from the body taking the drug.

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Emergency contraception: Types

Combined oral contraceptives. These drugs are taken not later than 3 days after sexual contact. Preparations made on the basis of ethinylestradiol (Marvelon, Miniziston, Mikrogenon, Femoden, Rigevidon), usually taken several times. Preparations on the basis of ethinyl estradiol (Non-ovlon, Bisekurin, ovules, Ovidon, Anovlar) need also to take effect for several times with an interval between doses in 12 hours.

Chistoprogestinovye oral contraceptives. These drugs are taken not later than 2 days after intercourse.

Mifepristone. This drug is not a hormone. Its action is aimed at suppressing the level of the female hormone receptors in the uterus and an increase in its muscular contraction. Mifepristone is by far the most effective means of emergency contraception. It blocks the egg so that it can not fall into the endometrium and stimulates its rejection. This medication is used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy in the early stages. Use Mifepristone is possible only after consultation with your doctor.

Intrauterine devices. These tools are very effective emergency contraception. T-shaped copper-containing intrauterine devices introduced no later than 5 days after intercourse in the office of the gynecologist. If a woman is appointed IUD as emergency contraception, that account must be taken of its individual characteristics, contraindications to the use of this method.

Intrauterine contraceptives can be used to prevent pregnancy only nulliparous women.

This method is shown by women who have any gynecological infections, and those who are at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases by.

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Impact of emergency contraception on the body

Doctors do not recommend using this type of contraception consistently, since it has a bad effect on the female reproductive system, which can further lead to functional disorders of the ovaries.
For example, every day or taking chistoprogestinovye combined contraceptives, a woman's body gets small doses calculated for the entire menstrual cycle. For example, hormonal drugs does not violate the cycle and is usually cyclical, thanks to him ovarian function only get better. Everything else, remove various hormonal disorders, which are available for women.

If a woman takes a drug for the purpose of emergency contraception, the body receives a dose of the hormone drug, exceeding many times, regardless of the phase of her menstrual cycle. As a result of the constant use of a contraceptive menstrual cycles become anovulatory (no egg), which threatens to infertility.

Violation of normal ovarian function gives impetus to the development of metabolic syndrome disorders, which is expressed in an increase in blood sugar, high blood pressure, obesity appears.

As douching various solutions, we can say for sure that this method does not have the desired effect, since sperm for 1 minute after intercourse penetrate the cervix. In addition, too frequent douching can cause vaginal dryness due to violation of the microflora.

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How do emergency contraceptive drugs

Large doses of combined oral contraceptives or chistoprogestinovyh, which were adopted in the first phase of the normal menstrual cycle, break the process of maturation of the follicle, which directs its development in the opposite direction. Single is receiving these drugs, regardless of the phase of the cycle, the endometrium breaks formation and rejection. These contraceptives are directed at the hormonal failure of ovarian function. So, emergency contraception is aimed at suppressing ovulation, a violation of the normal process of fertilization.

Mifepristone blocks the action of progesterone and increases contractility of the uterus, which contributes to the rejection of the endometrium.

Step Address coil causes the effect of a foreign body in the uterus, because of which the accumulated endometrial defense cells that are detrimental effect on the egg. The number prostaglandidov contributing to an increase in uterine contractility, making the implantation of the egg is blocked. Significantly enhanced reduction of uterine tubes, which has already fertilized egg moves into the uterus much earlier and there could not be attached. This method has been used for emergency contraception or a decade, which proves its effectiveness.
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Disadvantages of emergency contraception

Emergency contraception is completely useless in the process of attaching to the uterus of the egg. The effectiveness of combined oral contraceptives can be observed only in the case of taking the drug for 72 hours after intercourse. Chistoprogestinovyh taking the first dose of oral contraceptives should be done no later than 48 hours after intercourse. The effectiveness of intrauterine contraception may occur if these funds were put into the uterus within 5 days after intercourse. The drug should be taken only Mifipriston in a clinic under the supervision of a physician. Another disadvantage of mifepristone - the high price.

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Side effects

Emergency contraception should be used only in cases of force majeure, if there is simply no other way. Preferably, if it is not used frequently to 3 times a year. The fewer, the better.

The most common side effects of oral contraceptives is urgent uterine bleeding occurs 2-3 days after their reception. And for some women, on the contrary, there are delays with the strong monthly menstrual irregularities.

Other side effects such as dizziness, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea, various allergic reactions are rare.

When using intrauterine contraception during the first few days may experience severe cramping abdominal pain, increase in the amount and duration of menstrual discharge, besides there is a high risk of ectopic pregnancy due to violation of the reduction of the fallopian tubes and pipes advancement of the egg. Rarely there may be spontaneous loss of an intrauterine device, damage to the uterus when administered.
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Tips women using oral contraceptives for emergency contraception

Reception time dose should be selected so that it is convenient to take the next (for example, 21:00 and 9:00).

To avoid discomfort (nausea, vomiting), emergency contraceptive pills are best taken before going to bed in the evening, during a meal or drink their low-fat milk.

In the period until the next menstrual period should be mandatory to use additional means of protection (barrier method).

Do not forget that emergency contraception is only suitable for single use. So, for permanent use should choose your doctor is another method of contraception.

In cases of menstruation, which set with a delay of a week or more, you should contact your gynecologist to avoid pregnancy.

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Contraindications emergency contraception

high sensitivity to any component of the drug;

previously transferred hepatitis;

biliary tract disease, or severe liver;

puberty;

pregnancy.

Thus, the reception of any funds should be carried out under the supervision of a physician.